We used to have to travel south of the border to taste real Mexican cuisine—but even then, we too-often encountered tame, touristy, Tex-Mex food.
Bienvenidos, Tequila Kitchen! Yaletown’s hottest new restaurant is indeed muy caliente. Forget sombrero-decorated walls; with a chic, warm interior, going for Mexican has never been more stylish.
The mother and son owners, along with Executive Chef Juan González, have put together a savoury menu and cocktail list (complete with 19 varieties of 100% agave tequila, Mexican beer that goes beyond Corona and premium Mexican wines). We dove right into the inventive tequila cocktail options, quickly sipping our way through the Hibiscus Rose Margarita ($9).
A full á la carte menu is available, but for our very first visit we chose the mouthwatering and fabulously inexpensive $25 set menu, available until March 31. We started with (and swooned over) the ceviche duo of halibut and octopus, followed by three types of quesadillitas: mini turnovers stuffed with mushroom, rajas, or crab. The black bean soup with Mexican oregano had us pleading for more, but naturally, we saved room for the trio of savory meats: tender duck breast, lamb shank and spicy pork ribs, all served with warm tortillas.
And then there’s always more room for tequila…
If you thought that was sweet, we think you’ll also enjoy:
- Café Medina
- Splitz Grill